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If your child is struggling in school, you may want to evaluate his level of physical activity and fitness.

Researchers have repeatedly found connections between fitness and brain health, which naturally impacts all areas of brain function, such as cognitive thinking skills and memory.

According to a study from the University of North Texas, which was recently presented at the American Psychological Association's annual convention, having a healthy heart and lungs may actually be one of the most important factors for middle school students to make good grades in math and reading.1

According to co-author Trent A. Petrie, PhD:

"Cardiorespiratory fitness was the only factor that we consistently found to have an impact on both boys' and girls' grades on reading and math tests... This provides more evidence that schools need to re-examine any policies that have limited students' involvement in physical education classes."

Indeed, there's plenty of evidence attesting to the fact that if you value your brainpower, and that of your children, you'll want to make certain that exercise is a regular part of your and your family's life. Previous research has also discovered links between physical fitness and mental acuity in seniors, so it's equally important for all age groups.

Physical Activity Could Equate to Higher Grades

A test program not too far from our Chicago-area office at Naperville Central High School in Illinois illustrated the power of exercise to boost school performance in a powerful way two years ago. Students participated in a dynamic morning exercise program at the beginning of the day, and had access to exercise bikes and balls throughout the day in their classrooms. The results were astounding. Those who participated nearly doubled their reading scores!2 Research has also shown that after 30 minutes on the treadmill, students solve problems up to 10 percent more effectively.

Another more recent review of 14 studies,3 ranging in size from as few as 50 participants to as many as 12,000, also demonstrated that the more physically active schoolchildren are, the better they do academically. According to the authors:

"Physical activity and sports are generally promoted for their positive effect on children's physical health; regular participation in physical activity in childhood is associated with a decreased cardiovascular risk in youth and adulthood. There is also a growing body of literature suggesting that physical activity has beneficial effects on several mental health outcomes, including health-related quality of life and better mood states.

In addition... there is a strong belief that regular participation in physical activity is linked to enhancement of brain function and cognition, thereby positively influencing academic performance."

Clearly, the importance of encouraging your child to stay active after school and on weekends in order to reap the wonderful brain-boosting benefits that exercise has to offer cannot be overstated. Even better, be a positive role model and stay active together as a family.

Ideally, you'll want to incorporate a variety of activities, as each type of exercise may offer unique benefits for your brain health and may even help your brain to grow as you get older, rather than shrink, which is the norm. A review of more than 100 studies, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology,4 revealed that both aerobic and resistance training are equally important for maintaining brain and cognitive health.